Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Lotus flower which spoke volumes
By Chandrani Fernando
Chathura, Saman and Indu worked in the paddy field after school. Saman and Indu helped Chathura to carry the seed paddy to the field, where the experienced farmers took it into a basket for their use. Vesak was around the corner and the three friends discussed what they should do for Vesak. Saman said that they should make a huge lantern. Chathura said that they should make a small pandal. Indu said that they should give alms in the form of a dansala. Ultimately they decided on a dansala.

“But what are we to give?” Chathura asked. It was rather expensive to give either food or drinks. Indu thought for a while. They could not ask for money from their parents who had to spend a lot on paddy cultivation. So, Indu suggested that they should go to the temple and speak to the priest. After helping the farmers they all bathed in the pond and went to the temple, which was closeby, having informed their homes before going there.

The temple committee was to meet the following day. The three boys went to meet the podi hamuduruwo at the temple before the meeting. They went inside the Sanghawasa (the residence of the priests), where the priest was reading a Dhamma book in the verandah. They went up to him and paid homage by worshipping him. “May you be healthy,” he blessed them. Indu told the priest of their intention to put up a dansala. “It’s a very good idea,” the priest commended and asked them what they were hoping to give at the dansela. Saman said that this is where they needed his advice.

The priest suggested a flower dansela for Vesak. The three friends were happy about the idea and the following day they discussed the matter with their classmates. Their friends promised to help them collect flowers for the dansala. The plan was to set off early in the morning to go in search of flowers. By ten in the morning they had to be ready with the flowers at the entrance to the temple. Those who come to the temple to offer Buddha Pooja will be given the flowers free of charge.

On the eve of Vesak the three friends, with the help of their classmates, put up a cadjan thatched hut. They put up a temporary table with some wooden planks. Out of tender coconut leaves, Saman weaved the letters ‘Flower Dansela’ and fixed it to the cadjan thatched roof. Early in the morning on Vesak full moon day, the 30 boys in Chathura’s class gathered to collect flowers. They all went to the closest reservoir which irrigated their paddy fields. From the bund one could see the red lotuses in bloom. Chathura plucked about 100 lotuses and made a bundle to carry it to the temple. Saman also plucked a similar number of lotus flowers. Indu also achieved his target. Their 27 friends did their level best to achieve their targets. A passing vehicle stopped in front of Chathura and asked how much the lotus bundle was. “This is not for sale. We are going to distribute them at the temple,” Chathura replied politely.

By 9.30 in the morning all the boys were at the entrance to the temple. The priest gave all the necessary instructions. People thronged in queues to get flowers. There were two queues. One for males and one for females. An elderly lady who was observing the eight precepts asked them how they had managed to get so many lotus flowers. Chathura said that it was sheer determination to do something good. “Very good,” the elderly lady replied. “It is an example to people who waste their valuable time doing nothing,” said the priest who overheard this.

The whole temple looked beautiful with its red lotus flowers. The path to Nibbana is a lotus path indeed.

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